Max Payne 3 Review

Words cannot describe the subject I am about to tackle. I honestly can't think of a way to describe the PC port of Max Payne 3. Forgive me, but this is such an oddball result that Rockstar would actually make a good PC port. The whole idea of a Rockstar game playing better than it's counterpart on console is something from ten years ago, maybe further. The last game by them that was for primarily a PC audience was GTA 2 or something. Shit, look how Rockstar has slipped into the console pesant hole.

Firstly, there are many things they get right with the PC release of Max Payne 3. There are a whole swath of things they did wrong with the game it's self but under the hood it plays like a charm. With a 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 dedicated visual RAM the game can be maxed out and even keep a steady, smooth 60fps. How Rockstar did this, I do not know. Especially since Max Payne 3 looks so damn good compared to Grand Theft Auto IV and it somehow runs about ten times as well. When playing GTA4 I can max it out at about 40fps. This is with the ICEnhancer turned on and with Windows Live removed. There is almost nothing wrong with how well the game is adapted for PC. The controls are even better than on console.

Speaking of under the hood performance, we need to talk about DRM. Rockstar really went overboard on the DRM on GTA4. I counted 4 layers. FOUR OF THEM. Securom, Steam, GFWL, and their own shitty Social Club service. The game's assets broke often and I would have to reinstall the entire game a lot. It was almost unplayable. Max Payne 3 on the other hand comes with mandatory Social Club. This means you can only have one copy per account (you can almost bet on the DRM breaking) and the game is almost impossible to torrent. While this really pisses me off Social Club is slightly more functional than in previous titles. It'll track everything from bullets fired to painkiller consumed. It looks like Rockstar really tried to throw us a bone here.

Now that I'm done with how functional the game is I'd like to discuss what it's like on the outside. Gameplay is phenomenal. The physics are once again done in the Euphoria engine by an outsourced company (Natural Motion). This means the body animations are literally the best thing ever. Euphoria really seems to work better this time as bodies are actually shaped like human bodies instead of the rolly-poly doughballs of GTA4. The animations are easily the best thing in the game (but not by much). There is no other way to describe how well Euphoria works other than to see it in action. It can produce some pretty crazy results in combat as enemies will tumble over each other when shot in groups.

The physics can range unpredictable to downright weird.

Another feature that blows me away is the gore. Blood is exceptionally well done in Max Payne 3. Bruises will form, eyes will pop, tongues
will blow off. It's actually kind of gruesome to anyone who has never seen one of the more violent games but for us regulars this is pretty much normal fare. However, the way it is delivered really impresses me. Wherever you shoot a sore or burst will form on your target's body. This means you can turn people's heads into shriveled black pulps with enough shotgun blasts. Every spot on the human head has a different type of burst associated with it and it's kind of shocking how well they implemented this with 2012 technology. However, sometimes the bursts will freak out but this is to be expected in such a new concept. Dynamic systems will never be perfect.

None of this was scripted.

The soundtrack is also one of the best I have ever heard. This is why you hire an actual band instead of some idiot with a symphony like it's Final Fantasy or something.

Lastly, the glass in this game is stellar. Imagine the terrain destruction from 2009's Red Faction Guerrilla but on glass. Now imagine it much more refined. While this technology existed outside of Rockstar's sphere for quite a while their own version of it seems incredibly well done. If only they could implement it on other things such as concrete and wood. Things such as these make me think MP3 was Rockstar's first step into the realm of PC. They actually put some effort into a PC port and what do we give them? Poor sales. Fuck, looks like we won't be seeing another good Rockstar port in a while. Well, we can all have our fingers crossed for GTA5.

I actually punched the guy through this window and it did this.

Now, there are many things they get right with the PC release of Max Payne 3. There are a whole swath of things they did wrong with the game it's self but under the hood it plays like a charm. With a 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 dedicated visual RAM the game can be maxed out and even keep a steady, smooth 60fps. How Rockstar did this, I do not know. Especially since Max Payne 3 looks so damn good compared to Grand Theft Auto IV and it somehow runs about ten times as well. When playing GTA4 I can max it out at about 40fps. This is with the ICEnhancer turned on and with Windows Live removed. There is almost nothing wrong with how well the game is adapted for PC. The controls are even better than on console.

It's time for some things I didn't like. The story was shit. It was written by the guy who did GTA4. This pretty much means Max as a character is soiled in my mind. There is no humor in Max Payne 3, only shooting whining.

Also, multiplayer is some of the worst I have ever seen in a game. Keep in mind this beats Spec Ops: The Line somehow on my list of most poorly integrated multiplayer games. To be honest anyone who thought multiplayer in Max Payne would be a good idea is a fucking idiot. It's so unbalanced and dry it makes Far Cry 3 look great by contrast. It plays as if they tried to recreate CoD in third person except clunky. If you're going to touch the game please don't go to multiplayer first, you'll thank me later.


In conclusion Max Payne 3 is a freaking awesome game. I suggest you pick it up on sale as the price often dips down to as low as $3.50. That is a bargain for a AAA game and an absolute steal for one as great as this.

Now, some things I didn't like. The story was shit. It was written by the guy who did GTA4. This pretty much means Max as a character is soiled in my mind. There is no humor in Max Payne 3, only shooting and whining.

Also, multiplayer is some of the worst I have ever seen in a game. This beats Spec Ops: The Line somehow. To be honest anyone who thought multiplayer in Max Payne would be a good idea is a fucking idiot. It's so unbalanced and dry it makes Far Cry 3 look great by contrast. It plays as if they tried to recreate CoD in third person except clunky. If you're going to touch the game please don't go to multiplayer first, you'll thank me later.


In conclusion Max Payne 3 is a freaking awesome game. I suggest you pick it up on sale as the price often dips down to as low as $3.50. That is a bargain for a AAA game and an absolute steal for one as great as this.